Texasstate, United States

constituent state of the United States of America. With the fourth longest seacoast among the 48 coterminous states and a large shipping industry to match, it occupies the south-central segment of the nation. Its 266,807 square miles (691,030 square kilometres) make it larger than any nation in Europe with the exception of Russia. Water delineates many of its borders: the Rio Grande carves a shallow channel that separates Texas from Mexico on the southwest; the Gulf of Mexico laps its crescent-shaped coast on the southeast; the Sabine River forms most of the eastern boundary with Louisiana, where by land it is bounded by Arkansas as well; and the wriggling course of the Red River on the north makes up two-thirds of the state’s boundary with Oklahoma. The Panhandle section juts northward, forming a counterpart in the western part of Oklahoma, and New Mexico lies to the west. Austin is the state capital.

The vastness and diversity of Texas, the largest state in the Union except for Alaska, are evident in nearly all aspects of its physical character, its history, and the economic and social life of its people. As an example, January temperatures in the Rio Grande valley have been known to register well over 90° F (32° C), while at the same time, nearly halfway to Canada, blizzards were blocking highways in the Panhandle section of the state. The image of Texas was that of a raw and lawless frontier when, in 1845, it surrendered its status as an independent republic to become the 28th state of the United States. This picture has altered drastically in the 20th century and now combines great agricultural wealth, major oil and natural gas production, high national rankings in industry and finance, huge urban centres that foster a cosmopolitan cultural life, and seemingly unending stretches of high prairie and range devoted to cattle and cotton.

The name of the state derives from the Spanish name (from an Indian word meaning “allies” or “friends”) for an Indian group. Texas is commonly divided into East and West, although the dividing line between the two is ambiguous. Generally, though, East Texas has a wet climate and is characterized by cotton and ties to the Old South, while West Texas is dry and is characterized by cattle ranching and an affinity to the West.